Wang’s lawyer files statement against KMT appeal

By Rich Chang / Staff reporter

Tue, Sep 24, 2013 - Page 3

Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng’s (王金平) attorney yesterday provided a legal statement to the Taiwan High Court against the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) legal position in an appeal it filed against the decision of a lower court over Wang’s party membership and speaker status.

The High Court said three judges of a civil court were evaluating statements from attorneys of both sides, and it would soon decide whether to have attorneys of both sides argue at a hearing or to make a ruling without a hearing.

The KMT’s attorneys on Wednesday provided a legal statement to the High Court, citing the rejection of an injunction filed by former premier Hau Pei-tsun (郝柏村) in 1996, when the KMT revoked his party membership, saying that the court “has no jurisdiction” over the case because disciplinary procedures against party members are a party matter.

Wang’s attorney, Hsu Ying-chieh (許英傑), yesterday delivered a statement to the High Court, but refused to reveal the contents.

Wang on Sept. 13 requested an injunction from the Taipei District Court against the KMT’s decision to revoke his party membership over his alleged attempt to improperly influence a prosecutor in a legal case involving Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘).

The district court ruled that Wang may keep his rights as a KMT member until a final ruling, on the condition that he pay a guarantee of NT$9.38 million (US$315,000).

Meanwhile, the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office yesterday said it had received nearly 20 complaints against Prosecutor-General Huang Shih-ming (黃世銘) and the Special Investigation Division accusing them of illegally monitoring Ker’s telephone communications and leaking the contents of its investigation to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), and that the District Prosecutors’ Office has started to collect evidence.